Flightless birds

Our pick of 10 curious birds that have lost the ability to fly

ALL YOU EVER NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT THE Shoebill

THIS PREHISTORIC-LOOKING BIRD IS affectionately known by some as 'king of the marshes' as it is huge (up to 1.5m tall with a 2.4m wingspan) and resides in the freshwater marshes and swamps of East Africa.

Slime: protector, lubricant and glue

GOO, GUNGE, GUNK... WHILE THERE are many names for the stuff that makes things slippery or sticky, slime isn't a single material but a label for a variety of substances with similar physical properties. Those qualities are desirable to many living things, which is why slime is made by such a wide range of organisms.

How do parrots learn to swear?

THERE ARE FEW THINGS AS GLORIOUSLY entertaining as the effing and blinding of a potty-mouthed parrot.

Why are walruses so chubby?

AS A GENERAL RULE, TERRESTRIAL mammals are furry, while aquatic ones are fat. It doesn't work across the board: sea otters rarely leave the water but have the densest fur of any mammal.

What is the lotus effect?

WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF WATCHING the clock on the wall of a dentist's waiting room, you can always pass a bit of time with a rummage through the bowl of fragrant botanical wonders next to the leaflets about expensive cosmetic work.

Are there any plants in Antarctica?

CONTINENTS DON'T COME ANY MORE inhospitable than Antarctica, where life must contend with the longest, darkest, coldest winters and a year-round blanket of snow and ice.

LANDLORD OF THE WILD

The humble aardvark is seldom praised for its work digging out homes for other animals

CRACK DOWN

As the new Amazon drama Poacher hits our screens, we take a look at the fight to end ivory poaching in India

Wild words

Spending time observing and writing about the natural world can be transformational

NIGHT PROWL

As shrimp farms encroach on fishing cat habitat in Thailand, scientists are learning how these felines are adapting to a changing world

THE PUFFARAZZI

Every summer, an epic survey of Iceland's puffins takes place - and two photographers decided to lend a helping hand

THE ONLY WAY IS UP

A South American frog whose young erupt from the mother's back

TWIST AND SHOUT

Get ready for a dazzling show as courting birds show off their groovy moves and fabulous colours

FEMALE OF THE SPECIES

Love is a battlefield for damselflies in distress

The importance of child's play

Chimpanzee mothers prioritise playtime with their offspring, even when food is scarce

New life for our rivers

Europe's dams are being removed at record-breaking speed - freeing rivers and restoring healthy habitats

'Stars' are helping repair ruined reefs

Scientists are using steel webs to regrow coral reefs in Indonesia - with impressive results

Songbird slaughter in Cyprus

Last autumn, almost half a million birds were trapped and killed by gangs on the Mediterranean island

Huge rewilding paradise planned for South Africa

The 100,000ha Loskop Dam Nature Reserve project hopes to bring back lost species

Reefs on TV

This one-off BBC special on coral is a must-see

Arctic roll

The Arctic tern is the ultimate distance migrant, flying pole to pole every year

ALL YOU EVER NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT THE Giant panda

Cuddly-looking with highly distinctive black-and-white fur and dark ‘spectacles’, the giant panda – often referred to simply as the panda – is an undeniably popular and much-loved bear, both the national animal of China and, of course, the iconic logo of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

CRUISE CONTROL

As more people are drawn to experience the frozen frontiers, can tourism to the seventh continent be a good thing for nature?

COWS COME HOME

Tauros are the closest thing to the extinct aurochs. And they are coming to the UK.

BIG LITTLE JOURNEYS

A closer look at the smallbut-mighty animals that must travel vast distances to survive

MOUNTAIN MISSION

Canada lynx and wolverines are secretive creatures, but dedicated scientists in Montana are tracking them to inform conservation

LET'S GET TOGETHER - ROOSTING PIED WAGTAILS

Remember to look up this Christmas to enjoy gangs of pied wags' gathered in the trees

FEMALE OF THE SPECIES - REINDEER

Lucy Cooke explains why the females of this Christmas icon have antlers too

Ancient woodland still at risk from HS2

Scrapping the northern phase has spared some sites, but woodlands and reserves remain under threat